Thread: Anybody ever read books by Gerald Sparrow?

He was an Englishman who moved to Bangkok in the '20s and became a very young judge in the international court. Used to play golf with the king.

Anyways, his books are all fictionalized half-true accounts of Thailand in the 20s 30s and 40s. The first one I read was "Opium Venture", about how he was asked to travel to Chiang Mai in the 20s to judge some legal issues, and ended up trekking to Burma with elephants and mahouts and getting captured by a cruel and sadistic opium princess who wanted to keep and marry him.

Another was an account of his internment in a Japanese prison camp on the banks of the Chao Phraya during WWII.

He wrote 7-8 books about Thailand. If you see a dusty one in a used bookstore, pick it up.

Originally Posted by LarryGee

If you see a dusty one in a used bookstore, pick it up.

What do I do with it then ?

Originally Posted by Digby Fantona

Originally Posted by LarryGee

If you see a dusty one in a used bookstore, pick it up.

What do I do with it then ?

Stick it down yer pants and walk out of the store with it...

A very interesting life and period of time, cheers Lazza.

Originally Posted by Luigi

A very interesting life and period of time, cheers Lazza.

Yeah...
Might be stimulating to dig deeper into his life and activities here.

Expat/Foreigner memoirs and accounts are always fascinating as to a particular insight towards culture of the day.

Originally Posted by LarryGee

He was an Englishman who moved to Bangkok in the '20s and became a very young judge in the international court. Used to play golf with the king.

I have not but am intrigued.

Thanks for the "up."


Also thanks for reminding me of this:



Set against a background of unrivaled beauty and mystical fascination in the ancient kingdom of Siam. The drama begins on the first page of The Falcon of Siam with a sea adventure as Constantine Phaulkon is betrayed by the crew he hired to help him smuggle Dutch made cannons to the Queen of Pattani. The fate of Phaulkon's grand plan, not to mention his life rests on the successful completion of this sale. At stake is not only the vast trading opportunities of this rich opulent kingdom but Phaulkon has fallen in love with the beautiful and exotic country of Siam and its people and he understands the serious threat the Dutch pose to an independent Siam. If the Dutch control Siam they would also control the vital Mergui Crossing and be able to exert a monopoly on virtually all of the European trade with Asia. Setting at the controls of this whirlwind of deceit, treachery and betrayal is King Narai.

I think I read the above twice back to back.

Originally Posted by LarryGee

Stick it down yer pants and walk out of the store with it...

that was goooooood

Originally Posted by hick

Originally Posted by LarryGee

He was an Englishman who moved to Bangkok in the '20s and became a very young judge in the international court. Used to play golf with the king.

I have not but am intrigued.

Thanks for the "up."


Also thanks for reminding me of this:



Set against a background of unrivaled beauty and mystical fascination in the ancient kingdom of Siam. The drama begins on the first page of The Falcon of Siam with a sea adventure as Constantine Phaulkon is betrayed by the crew he hired to help him smuggle Dutch made cannons to the Queen of Pattani. The fate of Phaulkon's grand plan, not to mention his life rests on the successful completion of this sale. At stake is not only the vast trading opportunities of this rich opulent kingdom but Phaulkon has fallen in love with the beautiful and exotic country of Siam and its people and he understands the serious threat the Dutch pose to an independent Siam. If the Dutch control Siam they would also control the vital Mergui Crossing and be able to exert a monopoly on virtually all of the European trade with Asia. Setting at the controls of this whirlwind of deceit, treachery and betrayal is King Narai.

I think I read the above twice back to back.

I'll check that out. There was another one about Phaulkon - a non-fiction history book that I read, but I forget the title.

Constantine Phaulkon, born Costantin Gerachi, Konstantinos Gerakis, is the word for "falcon") also known by the French simply as Monsieur Constance.

The Thai noble title เจ้าพระยาวิชาเยนทร์, Chao Phraya Wichayen and the Portuguese Constantino Falcão (1647 – June 5, 1688) was a Greek adventurer, who became prime counsellor to King Narai of Ayutthaya, assuming the title Chao P'raya Vichayen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon